Means for governing supply of steam or other fluids under pressure.



N0. 674.700, Patented May 2|, I90l. C. M. HOBBY. MEANS FOR GOVERNING SUPPLY OF STEAM OR, OTHER FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE.

(Application filed Aug..16, 1900.) (No Model.)

INVENTOR Czcero M17055 ATTORNEYS WITNESSES E WW UNITED STATES OIOERO MEAD HOBBY, OF IOWA CITY, IOWA.

MEANS FOR GOVERNING SUPPLY OF STEAM OR OTHER FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,700, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed August 16, 1900- Serial No. 27,044. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CICERO MEAD HOBBY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Means for Governing the Supply of Steam or other Fluids Under Pressure, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to means for governing the supply of steam or other carriers of energy to the devices in which the pressure of such active medium is utilized.

The invention is applicable to engines, pumps, and other apparatus, but is particularly suitable for the automatic supply and cut off of steam in pumping-engines, in engines without gearing to produce circular or reciprocating motion, and for use where the boiler-pressure or live pressure is variable and skilled or regular attendance impossible.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable device of the above-in dicated class in which the supply of steam or the like will be cut off automatically as soon as a predetermined pressure is reached.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter and the features of novelty pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, which is a sectional elevation of a water-pumping plant provided with my improved pressure-supply governor.

It will be understood that I do not lay any claim in this application to the water-elevator proper, which is shown only as an example of the utilization of my invention. This elevator comprises two water-receptacles A A, with a suction-valve U at the bottom of the lower receptacle, a communication-pipe B, having an upwardly-opening valve U, and a delivery-pipe B, provided at its inner end with a valve U closing toward the receptacle A. Into the upper parts of the receptacles lead pressure-pipes O 0, connected with pressure-chambers D D, respectively. These pipes are provided with inwardly-opening valves V, which enable atmospheric air to enter the pressure-pipes under certain conditions.

My invention comprises a casing or cylinder E, communicating with the chambers D D by means of pipes or channels F F, respectively. The cylinder also has two exhaust-ports or exhaust-pipes G G, located toward the ends, and a centrally-disposed inlet H, adaptcd for connection with a boiler, to supply live steam, or with a reservoir for compressed air, or with any other source of a pressure-exerting medium. From each communicating pipe F F a channel I or I, respectively, leads to the end of the casing E. These channels may be opened or closed by means of cocks or valves J J.

Within the casing E are mounted to slide two connected pistons K K, secured to a piston-rod L, the distance between the rear faces of said pistons being about equal to the distance between the ports or channels F F. The rod L passes out through a stuffing-box M and has its end secured, as at N, to a slide N, mounted to reciprocate upon a longitudinal guide 0. The slide is pivotally connected at N with the lower end of a link P, the upper end of which hasa like connection at Q with a resistance-plate Q, mounted to slide vertically upon guides R. A spring S is interposed between the top of the plate Q and a bearing-plate T, secured to the upper ends of the guides R. The spring exerts a downward pressure on the resistance-plate Q. The same result may be obtained by simply weighting the said plate; but I prefer the spring on account of its having its greatest pressure at the moment when the joint N passes just under the joint Q.

The operation is as follows: With the parts in the position shown, the spent motive agent exhausts from the receptacle A and pressurechamber D through the pipes F and G, and water enters through the suction-valve U. Steam from the inlet H passes into the casing E between the pistons K K into the pressure-chamber D and the receptacle A to force the water into the delivery-pipe B. At the same time steam passes from the pipe F through the channel 1 into the end of the casing E in front of the piston K. The pressure is therefore equalized on both sides of the piston K and the same pressure obtains on the front or inner side of the piston K; but on account of the exhaust the pressure is lower on the rear or outer side of the piston K. The pistons will therefore move from right to left, or rearward. This movement is opposed by the resistance-plate Q, and when the plate is spring-pressed, as shown, the resistance increases gradually until the link P attains its central or vertical position. A predetermined steam-pressure is therefore necessary to overcome the resistance and to allow the pistons K K to complete their stroke. In this movement the piston K first closes the orifice of the channel F, thus cutting off the supply of steam from the pressure-chamber D, and then opens the exhaust-channel G. At the same time the piston K closes the exhaust-channel G and opens the communicating pipe F to the space between the two pistons, and thus allows steam to pass from the inletH to the pressure-chamber D. The operation then proceeds at the left-hand end of the casing in the same manner as hereinbefore described for the right-hand end.

The resistance opposed by the plate Q can be readily varied by adjusting the bearingplate T up or down upon the guide-rods R.

It will be seen that the device is simple, positive, and automatic in operation and adjustable to effect a cut-off at any desired pressure within certain limits.

The valvesV will open during the exhaust period when the pressure within the pipes C 0 falls below atmospheric pressure. They are provided for the purpose of admitting a sufficient amount of air into said pipes and into the pressure-chambers D D to form a compressed-air cushion or piston for expelling the Water from the receptacles A A.

Instead of the resistance-plate Q, I may employ any other device opposing the completion of the stroke of the pistons K K until the pressure reaches a predetermined point.

The piston-valve K K allows the quantity of steam used to be automatically gaged by the work and allows the greatest possible use of the expansion of steam in the cylinder.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A pressure-supply governor, comprising a casing having an inlet for the pressure medium, two outlets for the conveyance of said medium to the place of operation, two outlets for the exhaust, two connected imperforate pistons arranged to reciprocate in said casing and to alternately open and close the conveying and exhaust outlet-s at opposite ends of the casing, a channel leading from each of the conveying-outlets to the end of the casing, so

as to equalize the pressure on both sides of one of the pistons at the time the outer face of the other piston has communication with the exhaust, and a resistance device operatively connected with the pistons, to oppose a completion of their stroke until the pressure reaches a predetermined point.

2. A pressure-supply governor, comprising a casing having an-inlet for the pressure medium, two outlets for the conveyance of said medium to the place of operation, two outlets for the exhaust, two connected imperforate pistons arranged to reciprocate in said casing and to alternately open and close the con veying and exhaust outlets at opposite ends of the casing, a channel leadin g from each of the conveying-outlets to the end of the casing, so as to equalize the pressure on both sides of one of the pistons at the time the outer face of the other piston has communication with the exhaust, aslideconnected to move in unison with the pistons,a resistance-plate mount ed to slide in a direction transverse with relation to the movement of the slide, and a link pivotally connected with the slide and with the resistance-plate and adapted to pass alternately to either side of the said plate.

3. A pressuresupply governor, comprising a casing having an inlet for the pressure medium, two outlets for the conveyance of said medium to the place of operation, two outlets for the exhaust, two connected imperforate pistons arranged to reciprocate in said casing and to alternately open and close the conveying and exhaust outlets at opposite ends of the casing, a channel leading from each of the conveying-outlets to the end of the casing, so as to equalize the pressure on both sides of one of the pistons at the time the outer face of the other piston has communication with the exhaust, a slide connected to move in unison with the pistons, a resistance-plate mounted to slide in a direction transverse with relation to the movementof the slide, a spring arranged to force the resistance-plate toward the slide, and a link pivotally connected with the slide and with the resistance-plate and .adapted to pass alternately to either side of the said plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OICERO MEAD HOBBY. W'itnesses:

J. G. MUELLER, ADA L. I-Iooens. 

